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Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did Orlando City’s players do individually in their 2-0 win over Toronto FC?

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City ended the 2023 MLS regular season with a 2-0 win away to Toronto FC. Oscar Pareja made several changes to the team, providing rest for some regular starters. But the Lions took over when he brought on Duncan McGuire, who netted a brace in his 29 minutes on the field. The team ends the season with a club-record 63 points, just six behind FC Cincinnati for the Supporters Shield.

Here’s how I saw the individual performances for the Lions in this win.

Starters

GK, Mason Stajduhar, 7 — With Pedro Gallese returning from international duty, Stajduhar got his first start since June 21. There wasn’t a lot to do for the backup goalkeeper, but he did well to earn a clean sheet. His most memorable moment was in the 59th minute, when he jumped off his line to beat Cristian Gutierrez to the ball, keeping the game scoreless. He faced three shots, saving all of them, punched one shot away, and assisted on McGuire’s opening goal.

D, Luca Petrasso, 5.5 — Petrasso got the start over Rafael Santos and recorded two tackles, one interception, and one block defensively. In the attack, the left back completed 74.4% of his 39 passes, none of his three long balls, and had one incomplete cross. His 52 touches were far more than Michael Halliday on the other side, and he was dispossessed once in 70 minutes before being replaced by Kyle Smith.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel started his 11th consecutive game and was sturdy for most of it. He had a scary moment in the 28th minute when he whiffed on a cross, but wasn’t punished. His 57 touches on the night tied for second on the team. He had one tackle, two interceptions, two clearances, and one blocked shot defensively, completed 91.5% of his 47 passes, and completed one of his four long balls before being replaced by Robin Jansson in the 78th minute.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — If not for McGuire’s second-half brace, Carlos would’ve been Man of the Match. The center back was excellent in his first start since Aug. 2, with three interceptions, one clearance, and one block, and he was often involved with 57 touches. In the 52nd minute, his quick movement caught Prince Osei Owusu offside and his sliding block in the 62nd minute kept Toronto from scoring. Going forward, Carlos completed 87.8% of his 49 passes and five of his eight long balls. He also recorded a shot on a header, but it was right to Sean Johnson.

D, Mikey Halliday, 5.5 — Halliday started at right back and had only 37 touches, 15 fewer than Petrasso. He completed 70.8% of his 24 passes and didn’t connect on his two crosses, but found teammates on two of his three long balls. Defensively, Halliday recorded one tackle and four clearances in 90 minutes.

MF, Felipe, 6 — Felipe got the start in place of Wilder Cartagena, who was away with Peru on international duty this week. The Brazilian recorded 46 touches, completed 92.1% of his 38 passes, and connected on four of his five long balls. He won two tackles on defense and took one shot that was blocked in front. It was a solid night for the midfielder before he was replaced by Mauricio Pereyra in the 61st minute.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — It was a typical solid night for Araujo, who was active with a team-high 60 touches. Defensively, he recorded three tackles, two interceptions, and a clearance. His passing wasn’t as accurate as Orlando City fans have become accustomed to, completing 80.4% of his 46 attempts and three of his eight long balls. But he wasn’t dispossessed in the game, maintaining possession in the center of the field.

MF, Gaston Gonzalez, 5 — Gonzalez started the game instead of Ivan Angulo, playing 61 minutes before being replaced by the regular starter. However, while Angulo is often involved in play, Gonzalez only had 26 touches. He completed 77.8% of only nine passes, one of two crosses, and neither of his two long balls. He also contributed defensively, recording one tackle, two interceptions, and a clearance.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 6 — In a Designated Player swap, Ojeda started in place of Facundo Torres for this game. He did well in his 90 minutes, completing 73.9% of his 23 passes, and a team-high two key passes. He connected on his lone cross and on three of his six long balls. He took one shot, but it was blocked. Defensively, Ojeda added one tackle and a team-high four interceptions.

MF, Junior Urso, 5.5 — Junior Urso got his second start since rejoining Orlando City earlier this season. He had 41 touches, completed 80% of his 30 passes, and was 0-for-2 on long balls. He had one tackle defensively and won an aerial duel, but did little else in his 90 minutes.

F, Ramiro Enrique, 5.5 — Enrique got the start up top as McGuire returned from competing with the U.S. U-23 National Team. The Argentine attacker wasn’t very involved in play, only recording 14 touches in 61 minutes. He completed 57.1% of his seven passes and his only long ball. However, he didn’t take any shots in just over half an hour on the field. Probably his most surprising statistic was winning a team-high four aerial duels despite being one of the smallest players on the field.

Substitutes

MF, Ivan Angulo (61’), 5.5 — Angulo was one of the three subs Pareja made in the 61st minute that changed the game. However, he didn’t make much of an impact in this one, only touching the ball 12 times. He completed all of his seven passes, but didn’t connect on his one cross attempt.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra (61’), 6 — While Pereyra’s 19 touches weren’t much more than Angulo’s, he was more involved in play. He completed 82.4% of his 17 passes, but didn’t connect on his one long ball. He also won one aerial duel on the night.

F, Duncan McGuire (61’), 8 (MotM) — McGuire entered the game for Enrique in the 61st minute and completely took over. He used two excellent touches in the 63rd minute to turn Michael Bradley and sent a rocket past Johnson to open the scoring. He then put the game away in the 74th minute when Kyle Smith sent him behind the Toronto back line. The striker only had eight touches, but did about as much as you possibly could with them. He converted 75% of his four passes and scored a brace on his only two shots. It was a remarkable performance in only 29 minutes.

D, Kyle Smith (70’), 6.5 — Smith replaced Petrasso in the 70th minute and, like McGuire, made the most of his time on the field. The defender recorded two tackles and an interception, but it was the attack where he was most effective. He completed 86.7% of his 15 passes and sent a beautiful ball behind the back line in the 74th minute, putting McGuire on goal and sealing the game.

D, Robin Jansson (78’), 6 — Coming on for Schlegel in the 78th minute to help see out the game, Jansson did his job well. The center back recorded two clearances, completed seven of his 10 passes, and connected on one of his two long balls.

That’s how I saw the Orlando City players in a great way to end the 2023 regular season. They’ll now take this momentum into the playoffs, where they’ll face Nashville SC. Let me know how you saw this game and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-1 home loss to Atlanta United?

Published

7 hours ago

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October 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

In a somewhat disappointing fashion, Orlando City closed out the 2024 Major League Soccer regular season at home with a 2-1 loss against rival Atlanta United. Following the most recent international break, Orlando City failed to recapture the form that had propelled the squad to three straight victories. After digging themselves an early two-goal hole, the Lions found a way to score before the half and then thought they’d equalized late, only for a Decision Day video review decision to go against them.

Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their matchup with Atlanta in the regular-season finale.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Atlanta attempted nine shots in the match and was able to put five on target. In a blink-and-you-will-miss-it type of start to the match, the visitors found the back of the net twice before the game was even 20 minutes old. It is hard to fault the Peruvian for either of the first two goals as the defense allowed Saba Lobjanidze to walk right through before slotting a ball past the keeper and then failed to mark properly on a ball that Gallese had already parried away from point-blank range, though he might have been able to grab it or control the rebound a bit better. The highlight of Gallese’s night came just seconds after halftime when Dagur Dan Thorhallsson committed a foul in the box. Gallese chose correctly and made a huge save on Atlanta’s penalty to keep it a one-goal game. The Peruvian international completed 11 of his 12 passes for a 91.7% completion rate, including four of five long balls attempted.

D, Rafael Santos, 6 — The match did not start well for Santos as he first conceded a corner that eventually led to Atlanta’s second goal, and then got caught ball-watching on the ensuing corner attempt, allowing Jamal Thiare to find the back of the net. He improved from there, leading the team with 110 touches while completing 68 of his 79 passes (86.1%) with three key passes. That included an assist on a good cross for Martin Ojeda’s header. Defensively, he recorded one interception, one clearance, and one tackle while winning a team-high four aerial duels. Offensively, Santos attempted one off-target shot and completed two successful dribbles.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The captain contributed a solid, if unspectacular, performance against a team that had been fairly anemic on offense down the stretch. He had 93 touches and completed 77 of his 83 passing attempts for a 92.8% rate, including six of eight long balls. On defense, he had one interception, a team-high four clearances, and a blocked shot. The Swede failed to contribute an offensive statistic against Atlanta.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Orlando fans know at this point that you have to take the good Schlegel with the bad Schlegel and unfortunately bad Schlegel showed up during the first Atlanta goal as he was caught flat-footed as Lobjanidze blew right by him. Aside from that, he was mainly solid in the match. Schlegel had 84 touches and won two aerials. He completed 78 of his 80 passes (97.5%), including eight of nine long balls. Defensively, he contributed one clearance while committing two fouls. He attempted one shot which was off target.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 5.5 — Thorhallsson returned to the starting lineup after missing several matches and looked the part early of someone trying to get back up to speed and match fitness. Considering Atlanta had only scored four goals in the first 30 minutes of a match the whole season, Thorhallsson and company allowed the Five Stripes far too much daylight, resulting in a goal just a few minutes into the game. He had 64 touches and completed 45 of his 49 passes (91.8%), including one key pass. Thorhallsson was accurate on both of his long ball attempts but only logged one successful cross on four attempts. Defensively, he recorded a team-high three tackles and three clearances. Things could have gone sideways quickly for Orlando after the halftime break, as Thorhallsson was whistled for a foul in the box, resulting in an Atlanta penalty kick. He was subbed off in the 80th minute and will look to get his offensive rhythm back during training this week as he failed to record a shot.

MF, César Araujo, 6.5 — Missing his dynamic defensive partner, Wilder Cartagena, due to yellow card accumulation, Araujo was asked to do a little bit of everything against Atlanta and had an overall successful outing in front of the home crowd. He registered 107 touches and completed 81 of his 87 passes (93.1%). He tied Santos for the team lead in key passes with three and completed seven of his eight long ball attempts. He was unsuccessful on his lone crossing attempt. Defensively, he contributed one tackle, one interception, and three clearances. Offensively, Araujo was more involved than usual, logging two shots with one on target, and he was fouled a team-high five times.

MF, Felipe, 5 — Inserted for Cartagena due to his suspension, Felipe was also partly culpable on Atlanta’s first goal. The veteran from Brazil logged 47 touches in 52 minutes of action and completed 32 of his 38 passing attempts (84.2%), contributing two key passes. Felipe was unsuccessful in all three of his long ball attempts and defensively contributed one tackle and two interceptions. Offensively, Felipe recorded a shot but it failed to land on frame. He was subbed off in the 52nd minute for Kyle Smith.

MF, Iván Angulo, 6 — Angulo did not play badly but he was more invisible than usual. The key to the Colombian speedster’s game is to create chaos and to blow by opponents. Against Atlanta, Angulo failed to do much of that, but he also did not create egregious errors. Angulo logged 62 touches and completed 43 of his 48 passing attempts (89.6%) and mainly avoided some of the turnovers in his own half that have plagued him in recent games. He was credited with one key pass and one shot attempt that was off target. His cross turned into the McGuire goal that was overturned in the 89th minute. The season leader in minutes played went the full 90 once again and chipped in one tackle on defense.

MF, Martín Ojeda, 7.5 (MotM) — Ojeda was in full attack mode throughout the match and in my humble opinion was sacrificed far too early for how well he was playing. He scored Orlando’s lone goal in the 42nd minute with a glancing header and was credited with 56 touches. He completed 36 of his 39 passing attempts (92.3%), including two key passes. All three of his long ball attempts were successful and he completed one of his three crosses. Defensively, he failed to record a statistic but this match was all about Ojeda hunting his shot. The Argentine attacker led the team with eight total shots, four of which were on target, which was easily the best mark on the team. He might have had a hat trick had his right-footed attempts fallen instead for his preferred left foot. Ojeda picked up a yellow card in the 62nd minute — the only card shown to either team on the night — and was substituted out for Luis Muriel in the 68th minute of the match. With the way Ojeda was playing on offense, I would have much preferred that Muriel replace Angulo or Facundo Torres.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — With Ojeda hunting, fellow Designated Player Torres had an off night. He had 68 touches and completed 49 of his 56 passes (87.5%). Torres recorded one key pass, was unsuccessful on his lone cross, and completed one of his two long balls. Defensively, Torres failed to record a statistic, but he won three aerial duels. Offensively, he logged two shots, which were both off-target.

F, Ramiro Enrique, 5.5 — Enrique had a quiet night, logging only 18 touches which is simply not enough, considering the Lions were trailing essentially from the jump. He completed eight of his 10 passes (80%), including two key passes, and his lone shot attempt was on target. Defensively, Enrique did not contribute a statistic and was substituted off in the 68th minute for Duncan McGuire.

Substitutes

MF, Kyle Smith (52′), 6 —  After starting much of the last month for the injured Thorhallsson, Smith started on the bench against Atlanta, replacing Felipe in the early moments of the second half. Smith had 49 touches as a substitute, and he completed 45 of his 47 passes (95.7%). He logged one tackle on the defensive end and did not contribute an offensive stat.

F, Duncan McGuire (68′), 6 — The second-year attacker thought he’d scored a late equalizer, in the 89th minute, but it was disallowed as referee Rubiel Vazquez ruled the ball had clearly hit his hand before he scored. McGuire had just six touches and completed two of his three passing attempts. Besides the overturned goal, McGuire recorded a shot on target.

MF, Luis Muriel (68’), 6 — Muriel entered the match for Ojeda with a little more than 20 minutes left in the match, and Orlando down a goal. He had 20 touches and completed 14 of his 17 attempts (82.4%), including two key passes, and was accurate on both of his long ball attempts. Muriel was credited with two successful dribbles but did not attempt a shot.

MF, Nicolas Lodeiro, (80’), N/A — Lodeiro entered the match late with Orlando hunting for the equalizer. He had 23 touches and completed 14 of his 18 passes (77.8%). Lodeiro attempted two shots, putting one on frame, and did not contribute a defensive statistic.

That’s how I saw the individual performances from the final match of the regular season. What did you think? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and vote in the poll below for your Orlando City Man of the Match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/21/24

Orlando City and Orlando Pride lose, Orlando City B eliminated from playoffs, Seb Hines discusses diversity in soccer, and more.

Published

14 hours ago

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October 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I just finished setting up broadcasting for the NISA championship match in California over the weekend. This week, I’m back to staying busy at Under Armour and covering high school sports. It was a rough weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, and we have plenty to cover today. Let’s get to the links!

Lions Fall to Atlanta United at Home on Decision Day

Orlando City fell 2-1 to Atlanta United on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium on Decision Day. The Lions trailed 2-0 early in the first half before Martin Ojeda pulled one back for Orlando just before halftime. The Lions thought they had a late equalizer from Duncan McGuire, but the referee overturned the goal after a video review. The loss ended Orlando’s three-match winning streak, but it still clinched fourth place in the Eastern Conference as New York City FC lost to CF Montreal. Orlando’s next match will be in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs at home against Charlotte FC on Sunday.

Orlando Pride Lose to NJ/NY Gotham FC on the Road

The Orlando Pride lost their second straight match with a 3-1 defeat on the road to NJ/NY Gotham FC on Sunday at Red Bull Arena. The Pride were down 1-0 early in the first half before Adriana converted a penalty to tie things up. Gotham added two goals from Rose Lavelle and Ella Stevens to seal the victory and extend its unbeaten streak to seven matches. The Pride’s next game will be on Nov. 2 at home when they face the Seattle Reign in their final match of the regular season.

Seb Hines Speaks on Diversity in Soccer

BBC Sport interviewed Pride Head Coach Seb Hines after the club won its first NWSL Shield. Hines discussed how he’s helped reshape the club’s culture and advocates for more opportunities for black coaches in the sport alongside assistant coaches Giles Barnes and Yolanda Thomas.

“Being a trailblazer comes with a big responsibility because I want to advocate for more black coaches and diversity within the sport.

“It’s a responsibility to fight for more equality globally. It’s less about winning and more about breaking those barriers. I want to continue to give hope to others.”

Thomas, who joined the Pride’s coaching staff in 2023, also spoke on her passion to drive change and how she was inspired by former England manager Hope Powell.

OCB Eliminated from MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs

Orlando City B was eliminated from postseason play after losing 5-4 on penalties to Chicago Fire FC II following a 1-1 draw at SeatGeek Stadium in the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs . The Young Lions got off to a great start with a goal from Jack Lynn to take the lead in the first half. However, scored an equalizer just before halftime. After 90 minutes and extra time, the game went to penalties, where both teams exchanged goals until sudden death. OCB’s Favian Loyola missed his penalty, while Jean Diouf scored to send Chicago into the conference semifinals. OCB missed out on a chance to get its first postseason win and its 2024 season came to an end.

Orlando City and Pride Announce Hurricane Relief Efforts

Orlando City and the Pride announced hurricane relief effort plans over the weekend so fans can get involved and support those in need following Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. The club also announced that the Wilf Family Foundations contributed $450,000 towards relief efforts, with $350,000 going to the American Red Cross and $100,000 to Heart of Florida United Way, a charity partner for the Pride.

Free Kicks

  • Check out Orlando City’s hype video on social media leading up to its playoff match.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Five Takeaways

Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 2-1 loss to Atlanta United.

Published

1 day ago

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October 20, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City hosted Atlanta United at Inter&Co Stadium on Decision Day. The 2-1 loss had its share of controversy, but the Lions’ home undefeated streak ended at seven. While it was a disappointing result, I’m hopeful it will put a chip on the shoulder of Orlando City so the team rolls through the playoffs.

Here are my five takeaways from a depressing but ultimately meaningless loss.

Not a Great Start, Bob

The right side of Orlando City’s defense decided that the level of difficulty in the match needed to be higher. As such, the defenders on that side all decided to take a nap or close their eyes in the seventh minute. Pedro Amador’s back heel to put Saba Lobjanidze behind the defense was slick, and it allowed Lobjanidze to put the ball past Pedro Gallese and into the bottom right corner of the goal. Nine minutes later, Gallese made the initial save on Atlanta’s corner kick, but he pushed it out to Jamal Thiaré, who gave Atlanta the two-goal lead.

It’s Ojeda’s Half

Martin Ojeda was a difference maker for Orlando City right from the start. He managed seven shots in the first half, but it was his goal in the 42nd minute that truly changed the complexion of the match for the Lions. With Orlando City down two goals, Rafael Santos crossed the ball into the box and onto the head of Ojeda, who redirected it past Brad Guzan to pull the Lions within one. It was fitting that Ojeda got the goal, given the good work he’d done all half.

The Great Gallese

Dagur Dan Thorhallsson almost put a dagger in the hearts of the Orlando City faithful when he fouled Lobjanidze inside the box to give Atlanta United a penalty kick less than a minute into the second half. Alexey Miranchuk stepped up to take the kick for Atlanta, but was denied the goal by Gallese. El Pulpo guessed correctly, diving to his right side and getting a tentacle on the shot to keep Orlando City in the match.

The Hand of McGuire

Duncan McGuire’s arm couldn’t have been closer to his body unless it was inside his ribcage. Regardless, the video assistant referee looked at it and sent referee Rubiel Vazquez to the monitor for a second look. Vazquez determined that the ball hit his hand prior to him putting the ball in the back of the net. I was watching from home, and I didn’t think the video evidence was definitive enough to overturn the goal. Of course, I’m not Don Garber…er…PRO referees. If McGuire’s goal stood, Atlanta was out of playoff contention. Instead, the decision put Atlanta into the playoff Wild Card match against CF Montreal.

Good Enough but Not Good Enough

Ultimately, the result didn’t matter for Orlando City. New York City FC’s loss ensured the Lions finished the regular season in fourth place, earning home field advantage in the round. Other than the two defensive lapses early, the Lions dominated the match. Orlando City took 20 shots to Atlanta’s seven, with eight on target to Atlanta’s four. The Lions also held 67% of the possession, and passed at a 90% rate. The chances were there, but saves by Guzan and a controversial overturned goal contributed to the Orlando City loss.

That is what I saw in the 2-1 loss. What were your biggest takeaways from the game? Let us know in the comments below and as always, vamos Orlando!

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